Must-have BG2EE 2.x mods for first playthrough?
Nerva
Member Posts: 133
in BGII:EE Mods
I have a BG1 Cleric/Ranger, and I got through the first few chapters of BG2 EE 1.x some years ago before other things came up, and now BG2EE 2.x is out, so I'm just going to start over by re-importing from BG1. I probably only have time for one play-through, and I'd like to get a list of essential mods that don't change the vanilla flavor of the game, but just fix whatever remaining glitches there are after the latest 2.3 patch, and improve the fidelity of the game to the AD&D rules.
I'm interested in the Ascension mod made for the original BG2 ToB, since it sounds like a "director's cut" of ToB that makes it the climactic challenge it should have been in the first place, but others have said it should be considered an arbitrary mod just like any other and dilutes the feel of the original game. What is the current thoughts on that mod?
I've also read people recommending Unfinished Business.
I'm playing BG2 because it is considered an all-time classic, so I'm not looking for new fan-generated content, I just want the game to be "completely finished" with all the bugs fixed, open loops closed, plot threads nicely tied up, etc. Are there a few other mods that have a consensus in this forum as being good tweaks that polish the vanilla game without changing the core experience for a first-time playthrough?
I have read that for improved fidelity to the pencil-and-paper version of the game, they recommend Atweaks and Rogue Rebalancing -- does the latter give access to scrolls like the PnP game? I've also seen people recommending the Item Revisions and Spell Revisions mods.
I'm interested in the Ascension mod made for the original BG2 ToB, since it sounds like a "director's cut" of ToB that makes it the climactic challenge it should have been in the first place, but others have said it should be considered an arbitrary mod just like any other and dilutes the feel of the original game. What is the current thoughts on that mod?
I've also read people recommending Unfinished Business.
I'm playing BG2 because it is considered an all-time classic, so I'm not looking for new fan-generated content, I just want the game to be "completely finished" with all the bugs fixed, open loops closed, plot threads nicely tied up, etc. Are there a few other mods that have a consensus in this forum as being good tweaks that polish the vanilla game without changing the core experience for a first-time playthrough?
I have read that for improved fidelity to the pencil-and-paper version of the game, they recommend Atweaks and Rogue Rebalancing -- does the latter give access to scrolls like the PnP game? I've also seen people recommending the Item Revisions and Spell Revisions mods.
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What do you guys suggest then after this, for a second+ playthrough? I've finished the game several times when it was first released, but this will also be my first time with BG2EE.
I've been attracted to Scales of Balance and its spin-offs, but they're mainly mechanical. It would be nice to also add some extra story to the game.
Thanks in advance.
The cleric/ranger has been nerfed!!!
- Back in Brynnlaw (basically a new quest, i.e. more story content).
- Questpack (like it says, more quests, i.e. more story content).
- Unfinished Business (again, more quests and story content, but as the title implies, this is stuff that was originally intended in the game but was cut or dropped for various reasons).
In addition to these, I would try an NPC mod or two. I think Kelsey, Amber, Isra and Sirene are all good, although Kelsey and Amber are the only ones I've ever had with me all the way. I wouldn't recommend having all of them in your party throughout the game, but it might be a good idea to install them all, recruit them one or two at a time, see how you like them and keep the one or two that you like the most.
There is also a mod called Sellswords which is really good as a story and highly recommended in that sense, but the problem is that you get absolutely ridiculous amounts of experience points for the quests you complete therein, so it tends to put your game slightly off balance in your favor.
With all of the above, your next playthrough would probably give you quite a bit of extra pleasure.
- Alternatives (adding two further possibilities to reach Brynlaw besides Bodhi or Aran)
- Ascension (for the reasons already stated above)
- Adalon's blood (to lind of finish the Tanner quest)
- Wheels of Prophesy (to make ToB less linear)
- A number of stronghold mods (extended thief, mage stronghold)
Personally, I'd also recommend that you install as many NPC mods as you like. They have no impact on your game unless you recruit them, installing them gives you the options without need to install or uninstall afterwards. If you don't like somebody. just kick him or her out again.
Of course you can also install the BIG contents mods (e.g. TDDz, CtB etc). They add a lot of extra contents and all of it is optional. The EE versions have to a large part been re-done so that they no longer change game rules etc - still, take some minutes to read the new mod descriptions before you decide to avoid surprises.
I have lately begun to use Subtledoctors massive mods (scales of balance, might be guile and faith and powers). While they are great mods in their own right, if a bit lacking in documentation, I can really only recommend them for veteran players as they are very complex and almost drown you on choices.
Like other people in this thread has said, I too recommend playing the base game unmodded at least a few times. It works exceptionally well at this state and will only make the impact of modding later that much better. And don't worry about finding motivation to replay the gamesm many of us here has been playing these games for almost two decades by now